More Information

The Historic and Design Review Commission postponed action Wednesday on a proposal to demolish a century-old tiendita, or little store, one day before the City Council is to consider a slate of landmark designations for the West Side.

They wanted to hear from the applicant, who hopes to clear the lot for a new home but was not at the meeting. The panel reset the case for April 3.

“These little tienditas are disappearing,” Guarino said, referring to the family-owned businesses with residential living space in the rear.

Shafer said Perez Street, once a major thoroughfare, has been badly depleted of its historic structures by demolitions over the years.

“It would be quite a loss for this building to be razed,” Shafer said.

Today, the City Council will consider landmark designations that were supported by the commission in January for more than 20 West Side structures, in an effort to preserve the historic integrity of the area.

The buildings include former Chinese grocery stores, five small “shotgun houses” in the 1100 block of Guadalupe Street and a few ice houses, where blocks of ice were delivered in the early 1900s, before refrigerators were common.

The Building Standards Board determined the fire-damaged structure could be repaired, despite its sagging, leaky roof; deteriorated siding; uneven floors and damaged porches.

An applicant can persuade the review commission to support demolition by demonstrating that maintaining a structure poses an unreasonable economic hardship, or by showing a building has lost its significance through damage, alterations or other changes.

According to city records, the structure is a rare, surviving example of a “mom-and-pop” business, with a storefront facing the street and rear family dwelling.

Among the many owners and tenants over the years, it was known as the Cantu Grocery around 1940, and Lamar Grocery in the 1950s.

It was one of more than 90 structures identified as assets in the city's two-year Westside Cultural Resource Survey.